Reps Move to Probe Jonathan’s Failed $460m Abuja CCTV Project
Lawmakers in the House of Representatives have reopened investigations into the long-stalled $460 million Abuja CCTV project—a security surveillance initiative launched during former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration but left incomplete more than a decade later.
The renewed probe comes amid heightened security concerns in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), prompting legislators to revisit what several members now describe as “a failed national security investment.”
The resolution followed a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Hon. Amobi Ogah, representing Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency of Abia State. Ogah told PulseNets that the House could no longer overlook the alarming security situation in Abuja while billions of dollars tied to the project remain unaccounted for.
“This project was meant to make Abuja safer, not to become another symbol of waste and failure,” he said.
According to documents obtained by PulseNets, the Jonathan administration in 2010 approved the installation of CCTV cameras across strategic parts of Abuja to curb crime and enhance real-time surveillance.
To facilitate the project, the then Minister of Finance, Dr. Olusegun Aganga, reportedly led a Federal Government delegation to Beijing, China, where an agreement was signed with ZTE Communications, the Chinese firm awarded the contract.
PulseNets learnt that the CCTV installation was financed through a $460 million loan from the China-EXIM Bank, part of a broader $600 million credit facility. The loan carried a 10-year grace period before repayment began, yet over a decade later, the system remains largely non-functional.
Ogah lamented that despite the huge financial commitment, the capital city is still plagued by violent crimes such as kidnapping, robbery, and car snatching.
“We are paying for a CCTV system that doesn’t exist,” he said. “This is a lose-lose situation where Nigeria owes China for a project that has failed to deliver any security value.”
Hon. Billy Osawaru from Edo State, while contributing to the debate, urged the House to take its oversight duties more seriously.
“We cannot keep letting projects of this magnitude vanish into thin air. The House must commit to proper oversight for the sake of Nigerians,” he told PulseNets.
Similarly, Hon. Ahmad Jaha, representing Gwoza/Damboa/Chibok Federal Constituency of Borno State, called for a full-scale investigation to expose what he described as “a clear case of financial mismanagement.”
“A lot of money was released for CCTV procurement, yet there’s nothing on the ground,” he said during plenary.
This is not the first time the National Assembly has attempted to unravel the mystery behind the failed CCTV project. PulseNets recalls that in 2019, the 9th House raised similar concerns and demanded answers from the Ministry of Finance, though no conclusive report followed.
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In a related development, a Federal High Court in Abuja had in May 2023 ordered the Federal Government to publish detailed records of how the $460 million CCTV funds were utilized. The order came after a suit filed by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), which accused relevant authorities of violating the Freedom of Information Act by withholding expenditure details.
As the current investigation unfolds, lawmakers appear determined to ensure transparency and accountability, vowing that this time, the truth behind the Abuja CCTV project will not remain hidden.
